Charges against a York man indicted for operating a York to Butler drug ring are headed to court.

District Judge William Fullerton ordered all 20 charges filed against Jeffery A. Wilkins, 41, of York, be held for Butler County Common Pleas Court on Thursday, Jan. 30.

Senior deputy attorney general Kara Cotter questioned state Trooper Kurtis Glasgow about the investigation into the drug ring, which began Feb. 8, 2023. Glasgow said repeated controlled drug purchases by confidential informants, recorded phone calls and surveillance helped police determine Jeffrey Wilkins and accomplices were transporting fentanyl, heroin and cocaine from York to sell in Butler between February and December 2023.

Glasgow said Wilkins made 16 trips between York and Butler and McLeod made four trips. He said traffic stops and arrests made by local police uncovered blue double-sealed glassine bags that could be traced back to Wilkins and originally came from the Philadelphia-area.

Wilkins’ attorney, Zachary Coblentz, of Coblentz Law Firm in Butler, pointed out police never saw Wilkins interact with a supplier while surveilling his York home. Police said the prerecorded funds used by confidential informants to purchase substances were never recovered, and Wilkins was not placed into custody after confidential informants bought from his alleged conspirators.

Charges against Wilkins include six felony counts of intent to deliver substances; one felony count each of promoting criminal activity, conspiring to promote criminal activity, participating in an organization’s criminal activity, conspiring to invest in illegal activity and criminal use of a phone; two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance; and seven ungraded counts of criminal conspiracy/conduct.

Wilkins’ wife and son, Jerrica L. Wilkins, 31, of York, and Amire D. McLeod, 20, of Pittsburgh, who also were indicted, waived their hearings Thursday.

Jerrica Wilkins has been charged with one felony count each of participating in an organization’s criminal activity, conspiring to invest in illegal activity, promoting criminal activity, conspiring to promote criminal activity, conspiring to commit criminal conduct and criminal use of a phone.

McLeod has been charged with three felony counts of conspiracy to commit criminal conduct; two felony counts of possession with intent to deliver controlled substances; one felony count each of participating in an organization’s criminal activity, conspiring to invest in illegal activity, promoting criminal activity, conspiring to promote criminal activity, criminal use of a phone; and two misdemeanor counts of possessing a controlled substance.

Formal arraignments for the three defendants are scheduled for 1 p.m. March 18 in Common Pleas Court.

Police have charged 17 people in connection to the drug ring including Warren Richie, 50, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Steven A. Wilkins, 46, of New Castle, Del.; Kelly L. Wilson, 55, of Slippery Rock; Amber R. Wallace, 43, of West Sunbury; Samantha A. Best, 31, of Ford City; Jodi L. Taylor, 42, of Saxonburg; and Butler residents Marki M. Seezox, 34, Andrey J. Loeffler, 38, Dawn K. Reddick, 49, Tyrone Reddick, 62, Cassie R. Grossi, 45, Richard Marsolf, 49, Seph A. Schlobohm, 38, and Dakota M. Sloan, 30.

Police estimated via corroborated statements, recorded phone calls and tracking that the group transported about 1,050 grams of suspected heroin and fentanyl and 1,260 grams of suspected cocaine and crack cocaine to the Butler area. The substances were valued at around $372,000.

McLeod is being represented by attorney Joseph Hudak, of Hudak Law Office in Pittsburgh. Police said he has two pending cases in Allegheny County regarding stolen firearms.

Jerrica Wilkins is being represented by attorney Michael Zunder, of Zunder and Associates, PC, in Butler.

Jeffery Wilkins was arrested Aug. 22, 2023 for a parole violation and has remained incarcerated, according to court documents. He is being held in the Butler County Prison on a $500,000 bond. McLeod is being held there on a $25,000 bond. Jerrica Wilkins is not being held in jail.